Hydrogen Bonds-induced DMMP Sensors Based on Polyaniline-incorporated Nitrogendoped MWCNT Composites

초록

Chemical warfare agents are lethal substances that need to be detected even at low concentrations due to their high toxicity, rapid onset, and irreversible effects that can cause fatal damage in a short period of time. Nerve agents are the most toxic CWAs that disrupt the functioning of neuromuscular transmission. Herein, we used a hydrothermal process to synthesize a nitrogen-doped multiwalled carbon nanotube with polyaniline (N-MWCNT@PANI) to detect the dimethyl methyl phosphonate (DMMP) with concentrations ranging from 2 to 10 ppm. DMMP is widely known as the simulant of nerve agent sarin. A surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor was used as a detector. The SEM results revealed that the polyaniline formed an amorphous shape that intertwined with the carbon nanotube exhibiting a noodle-like structure. N-MWCNT@CMC showed a frequency shift of ~ 872 Hz for 10 ppm DMMP and relatively less signal noise than N-MWCNT. The FTIR results showed that the N-MWCNT@PANI formed very strong hydrogen bonds with the DMMP which could not be broken down even though the mixture of composite and DMMP was heated at 190 °C for 12 hours. Also, it was revealed that the hydroxyl (OH) group was involved in interactions between the composite and DMMP in the form of weak van der Waals force and hydrogen bonding.